Pipe-vise.



Patented Doc. ID, I90l. W. E. ECKARD.

PIPE VISE.

(Application filed. May 22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATns ATENT Option.

lVILLIAM E. EOKARD, OF VVHEELING, \VEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE IIALFTO HENRY KIEL, OF WIIEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

Plea-visit.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N6. 688,772, dated December10, 190i. Application filed May 22, 1901- Serial No. 61,337. (No model.)

To (0% whom it may conceiv't:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. EOKARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at WVheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pipe-Vises, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in pipe-.vises, andhas for its object to so construct a vise of this description as toadapt it for holding brass and other soft-metal pipes so as to preventthem from being marred by the pressure necessary to rigidly secure themwhile being cut, threaded, or otherwise operated upon.

A further object of my invention is to retain the ordinary features of apip e-vis'e while providing for the holding of soft-metal pipe.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective of a vise made in accordancewith myimprovement, showing the smooth circular jaws adapted for holdingsoft-metal pipe; Fig. 2, a detail section through the upper jaw andcross-head, showing the manner of swiveling the operatingscrew to saidcross-head and of securing the upper jaw in place within the head; Fig.3, a similar view of the lower jaw and that portion of the base-plate inwhich the jaw is secured; Fig. 4, a detail front view of the lower jawadapted for use upon iron or hard-metal pipes. Fig. 5 is a verticalsectional view of one side of the yoke, showing the manner of attachingthe same to the base-plate; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of thelatch which serves to attach the yoke to the base-plate.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents thebase-plate, having formed therewith the flange or apron B, and alsoformed with this base-plate are the lugs O on each side thereof, bymeans of which the yoke D is secured and pivoted to the base, thearrangement being of ordinary construction and forming no special partof my 5' 5 invention. The yoke has formed upon its vertical membersguideways E, on which run the cross-head F, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,and in this cross-head is swiveled the lower end of the operating-screwG by the collar H, being secured upon a reduced portion of said screw bymeans of the pin 1, as will be readily understood. The operating-screw,as is usual,is threaded through the horizontal portion of the yoke andcarries the lever J for its manipulation.

The cross head F has a dovetail groove formed in its lower face for thereception of the corresponding-shaped shank K of the upper jaw L, andwhen this shank is in position it is held against accidentaldisplacement by the spring-latch M, which is pivoted upon the cross-headand adapted to swing down in front of the shank and bear thereagainst.This spring-latch has'a small lug or detent N formed upon its lower end,adapted to snap into the recess 0, formed in the shank, and thus holdthe latch against a sidewise swinging movement until this detent hasbeen sprung outward, after which the latch may be turned sidewise out ofthe path of the shank, so that the latter may be withdrawn from thecross-head. This arrangement provides for the ready removal of one jawand the substitution of another therefor, the object of which will behereinafter set forth.

The jaw L is semicircular in shape,as clearly shown in Fig. 1, theinternal contour thereof being such as to fit the pipe to be held, andthe lower jaw L corresponds with the upper jaw L, so that these two jawswhen in their closed position would form a circle of the same diameteras the outside diameter of the pipe being clamped.

P represents the shank of the lowerjaw,and is wedge -shaped in the samemanner as the shank K, and thereby adapted to fit within thecorresponding dovetail groove in the baseblock Q, formed upon thebase-plate. This shank is likewise secured in place against ac- 10ocidental displacement by the spring-latch R, which is pivoted at S tothe flange B, said when a pipe of any given diameter is to be operatedupon the upper and lower jaws of a corresponding internal diameter areutilized and secured in the base-block and crosshead, as above setforth, and when a pipe of another diameter is to be operated upon acorresponding set of jaws are substituted for the ones last used. Thefact that the jaws are smooth upon their inner surfaces will preventthem from marring the pipe, however soft the metal of which it iscomposed, and yet permits sufficient pressure and friction to be broughtto bear thereon to hold it rigid while being operated upon. These jawsshould be of suflicient length to spread the pressure over aconsiderable surface of the pipe, and therefore further insure said pipebeing rigidly held without being marred. Should the pipe be forced toturn within the jaws, no injury will be occasioned thereby, since norough or cutting surface is in contact with. the pipe.

W'hen it is desired to use the pipe for ordinary purposes, such as theclamping of iron or steel pipes, the jaws L and L may be removed, asbefore set forth, and jaws of the construction shown in Fig. tbesubstituted therefor, which are V shape and have serrations or teeth Vformed upon their clampingsurfaces, and being provided with thewedgeshaped shanks W, which correspond with the shanks K and P, they areadapted to fit within the dovetail slots in which the last-named shanksare adapted to fit and held in the same manner as the latter. Thebase-plate, yoke, and cross-head, are perfectly made of malleableiron',while the jaws and operating-screw are made of steel.

In Figs. 5 andt I have shown the means I employ for fastening the freeend of the yoke to the base-plate. a, is a latch which is pivoted at thepoint I) to the base-plate. This latch has an opening d formedtherethrough, through which is adapted to protrude a lug 6, formed withand extending out from the yoke D. Thisopening d is slightlyundercut, sothat when the latch is in the-position shown in Fig.5 the strain upwardupon the yoke D will tend to rather hold the latch in place than todisplace the same. fis a finger-hold formed upon the upper end of thelatch for the purpose of swinging the latch outward and releasing theyoke. g is a toe formed upon the inner and lower edge of the latch andextending underneatha cut-away portion of the lower free end of the yokeD. This toe is for the purpose of raising the yoke D as the latch isswung outward, and thus release the pressure upon the object which thejaws are gripping. Another purpose of this toe is that when the free endof the yoke D is forced downward it will strike this toe g and close thelatch automatically. This latch is of great advantage in devices of thisdescription, for the yoke can be secured or released almost instantly.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis 1. In combination with a vise of the character described,t-hecross-head and base-block of which have dovetail grooves formed therein,shanks adapted to fit said grooves, semi circular jaws formed with theshanks, said jaws being adapted to hold a pipe without marring itssurface, a spring-latch pivoted to the cross-head and carrying a detentadapted to snap within a notch formed in the upper shank, andaspring-latch pivoted to the body of the vise and carrying a detentadapted to snap within a notch formedin the lower shank, all arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with a vise of the character described, a base-blockhaving a dovetail groove formed therein for the reception of variousforms of jaws, a spring-latch pivoted to the body of the vise andadapted to hold the jaws in position against accidental displacement, across-head having a dovetail groove formed therein adapted to receivevarious forms of jaws, and a spring-latch piv oted to said cross-headand adapted to prevent the accidental displacement of jaws engaging thelast-named dovetail groove, asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a device of the character described, a yokepivoted to thebase= plate upon one side, a fastening device adapted tosecure the free end of the yoke in-place upon the other side, saidfastening device consisting of a latch a pivoted to the basevplate atthe point 17, an opening d formed through the latch, a lug formed withor se-.

cured to the free end of the yoke and adapted to protrude through theopening in the latch when the latch is closed, a toe 9 formed with thelatch and adapted to extend underneath the free end of the yoke when thelatch is in its closed position, a finger-hold carried by the latch forthe purpose of manipulating the same, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af fixed my signature in thepresence of two su b.- scribi'ng witnesses.

WILLIAM EOKARD.

\Vitnesses:

H, C. PETERMANN, HARRY L. I-InssE.

IIC

